Video captures lion attempting to enter tourist's car in South Africa

The moment a curious lion chomped down on a car's wing mirror and pressed its paws against the windows has been captured on video.

Hannetjie van der Westhuizen and her passengers were left stunned when they had a close encounter of the big cat kind while driving down a highway in South Africa's Kruger Park.

The nosy predator started by chewing on the wing mirror, wrapping its jaws around the plastic. Growing bored of the new chew toy, the footage shows the lion then spotting the vehicle's human occupants inside befoe pressing its massive paws and nose up against the glass.

South Africa's Kruger Park.
Photo credit: Caters.

"In most of my 48 years of visiting the park, I have had to use binoculars and a lot of imagination to spot a lion, but never ever had an encounter like this," van der Westhuizen said.

"We were very excited and scared at first, but then we realised that lion was more curious and playful and was just merely investigating a strange object."

South Africa's Kruger Park.
Photo credit: Caters.

Van der Westhuizen decided it was time to get moving after the lion began chewing the tyres.

In Kruger Park, tourists are allowed to drive with their windows open.

However, if your car is approached by a lion, it's recommended to keep your windows closed.